Of The Prat Score
by The Princess Andromeda
Summary: Oneshot. Post Season 5. Merlin reminisces about his time spent with Arthur with the aid of his prat score. Contains hints of Freylin. Also includes Mergana(if you squint hard enough.) R&R!


**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin**

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Arthur was a prat. That fact was pretty obvious. But he was an exceptional one.

He was good and just, unbiased, which made him one of the most loved rulers of Camelot. He didn't try to wipe out magic, unlike his father Uther, which only made people respect him more – by people, he meant the druids.

Of course, that was only when he was in King of Camelot mode. Unfortunately.

When he was his normal prat self… well, the amount of chores he had to do every single day was pretty self-explanatory.

Which therefore brought him onto the topic of the prat score.

The last time he checked, the deceased – he'll take time to get used to calling Arthur that – King was ranging around the "not so much of a prat" range, which was roughly between sixty and seventy points.

Not bad for someone he used to hate, really.

Merlin remembered the day he first met the annoying cabbage head; he'd been so disgusted at his behaviour. And his father just had to make him the prat's manservant.

It was, without a doubt, pure torture.

That very day marked the birth of the prat score.

But then he, albeit a little slowly, realised that at least Arthur had some redeeming qualities. Risking his own life to save Merlin's when he was poisoned by Nimueh – that was noble of him. And the labyrinth incident… It helped him see the prat in a new light, that perhaps the prat… well, wasn't actually so much of a prat after all.

There were many other similar incidents then, but those two were the most unforgettable. Those incidents made him take away some points from the score – ten, he remembered.

He'll admit that he was a teensy bit biased back then. But it didn't matter much. After all, there were also many extra points added for his usual pratishness.

And not to mention his lack of sensitivity – just look at what happened to Freya. He didn't even notice his sadness over her death and instead proceeded to tease him about the "new girl". Oh, and not to mention his dead father.

His score was already around ninety-or-so then – The complete prat range.

As if that's not enough, he just had to fall prey to the Lady Vivian's charms. Spell or no spell, he didn't care. It was troublesome enough having to run around trying to prevent things from getting out of hand.

Prat score: back to square one.

Then, just as things were finally turning to normal – well, at least as normal as a day in Camelot could get – Morgana happened. Honestly, the woman couldn't stay missing. Just like her to come in suddenly and disrupt the peace.

He had to admit that the woman was a very good actress though. She'd even had him fooled. If it wasn't for her move to drive Uther into insanity, he would have been completely taken by her.

It was heart-breaking, really. To see someone you had always confided in side with the enemy.

Still he held a tiny spark of hope that one day, she would see the error in her ways. And maybe she would, they would, become something more than just servant and mistress. Of course, not in _that _way. He would always love Freya. But still… he had hoped that the two of them would become closer.

It was stupid of him; he knows that now.

After all, she _did _try – and eventually succeed – to kill Arthur. And it was all Mordred's fault. Seriously, seeking revenge on Arthur just because he killed the love of his life? Completely not worth it. He could understand Mordred's despair, of course. Losing a loved one is a bad thing.

But he didn't swear revenge on Arthur when Freya, Balinor or anyone else close to him died because – directly or indirectly – of the cabbage-head, did he? Arthur would have died hundreds of times if he did.

He now regrets disobeying Kilgharrah's advice and letting Mordred live while he was still a child. That way Morgana would never have found out about his magic, and he wouldn't have been powerless and unable to be by Arthur's side during the battle of Camelann. He might even have been able to stop Mordred before he delivered the final blow to Arthur. And Arthur might have lived.

But that was life, and one thing about it was that you could _never _question it. You could never change the future either. Destiny is and will always be impossible to change.

And this – _this _is destiny.


End file.
